Posted by Elaine on May 02, 1999 at 11:37:07:
Just when you try to put things to rest, to let go of that which doesn't warrant further attention ... WHAM! New accusations & repeated patterns of twisted scenarios.
Once again, the record needs to be straightened out. This will no longer be a public issue. We do not have to oblige the rantings of a vindictive person who is responsible for EVERY bit of this agitation.
The latest perversion involves accusations that we posted private e-mails & private information regarding EH's children. Even I, after experiencing first hand the way this one operates, was astounded at how far she will go to twist & misrepresent the truth.
Regarding this outrageous posturing; the post that she is referring to was first posted by her in a public forum. The post was and is public information. The post was copied by us BEFORE the PUBLIC archives were closed. No one sent it to us, despite her accusations towards others. The alleged sensitive information is the names & ages of EH's children. She posted them in her PUBLIC post and in another PUBLIC forum, her web site, including pictures, where they remained PUBLIC as of last night. None of this is pertinent information. It remains irrelevant to everything. Yet, she now seizes this as a handy smoke screen. She not only has made the claim that "Rich posted private e-mails" containing "private" information, she has also sent threatening e-mails directed at Rich.
The archives from which the post was copied is as public as this board. As everyone knows, anything posted here is not only public material, it can be copied and quoted by ANYONE. Regarding private e-mails; there is NO law protecting or prohibiting the distribution or reprinting of e-mails. None. There is nothing more than personal ethics. Again, the referenced post was and is public - it was not and is not a private e-mail. Obviously, Elizabeth is well aware of the lack of prohibition since she has posted and quoted PRIVATE e-mails of ours frequently. She initiated the bogus controversy and she apparently felt no discomfort over posting OUR e-mails in a PUBLIC forum ... and adding to them her obscenities.
If any are inclined to believe EH's sudden concern over her children's privacy then you need to ask yourself why, if this is sincere, did SHE POST their names, ages, & pictures for all to see? Come on. How idiotic does she think every one is?
Having said that, though we are not obliged to be guardians of other people's children, we chose to CENSOR Elizabeth's public post which included them. It strikes us as odd indeed that she would turn around and claim WE endangered her children and that WE "EXPOSED" them on the Internet. How ridiculous can this get? Ironically, the location of the DUPLICATED PUBLIC POST is as obscure as can be. Far less visible than the locations Elizabeth herself posted the originals. There was NO purpose to us in this "info" - the post included other relevant material. Many of her posts included private e-mails of ours, as well as extremely nasty, vindictive statements. That is nothing new.
To posture now that she and hers have somehow been victimized is as irrational as one can get. Remember, she has been making claims that we "wronged" her for a very long time. None of it has ever been true before, why would one expect anything to be true now?
I'm going to summarize, FOR THE LAST TIME, what we do regarding Eric Schweig. Other than that, my advice to Elizabeth is simple. Cut the crap. We posted the necessary statement regarding pictures. Beyond that, I do not care whether or not she obliges. There is no doubt regarding the motive here. I WILL NOT spend my time and energy policing her web site. She can keep to her little corner of the web as long as she does not TRESPASS into ours.
We promote, market, & sell Eric Schweig's art. We generate whatever publicity we can, including sources beyond the Internet, for Eric's art. We seek out interest in publications and galleries. We invest time & money to produce portfolios to be sent out around the world. We
have already arranged one gallery exhibit and are seeking to arrange more. We write articles for submission to major publications. We do whatever we can do to make Eric's efforts in the art world SUCCESSFUL.
That's it in a nutshell.
Believe it or not, that is what has so riled this person into this relentless onslaught of hate. Why? Why? Why? It was once merely childish and annoying. It has become more than that now. We will no longer provide attention to or for her libel. We will no longer allow her to post on our board. We will not accept her vicious, threatening e-mails or respond to her in any way, shape or form personally. All action is now in another forum. It is very clear that there is NO reasoning with this person. No matter what we do it continues. No matter how we respond or not respond it continues. She'd continue, I think, even if we sent flowers & invited her to steal our work.
There is simply NOTHING we can do that will satisfy her. As far as I can tell, her objective is to cause us to wash our hands of all things relating to Eric Schweig. If we do that, life gets MUCH easier for us but it wouldn't benefit Eric. Yet, she repeatedly claims to have his interests at heart?!!!!! If true, she'd recognize what any one else can recognize. Jeopardizing our efforts & instigating negative publicity is NOT in Eric's interest. This is really so simple it borders on the ridiculous to even have to state it.
I wonder if any of this really worth it. As many of you know, we came close several times to removing ourselves from any thing involving Eric Schweig for the simple reason that we don't need this crap. However, every time we sought to do that, others prevailed upon us to stay with it. Why? They believed what we were doing was VERY much in the interest of Eric Schweig. If we are to continue, it would seem fair to request that those seeking to harass, agitate, undermine, and attack us cease their deplorable behavior. Really, for us it is NOT worth this daily aggravation. IT ISN'T WORTH IT AT ALL!!!!!
We have no desire to engage this any further on the Internet. How we manage our affairs or what our arrangements are regarding other people's art is no one else's business. Stay out of it. Carry on with your mailing list. Mind your own affairs and keep to your own business.
Leave us be to do what we do & let go of whatever twisted objectives motivate you. Anyone really interested in Eric Schweig's success would do no less. If this simple request is met, then no further troubles will be forthcoming. If not ...
Court becomes a very real option. Elizabeth has threatened US with legal action. Why? Because she has run amuck on the Internet, bad-mouthing us at every turn, for over a year now? Because we had the AUDACITY to defend ourselves? Use her own words against her? Expose her for what she is? Laughable. Take us to court. Oh, last time I checked with my attorney, there were no provisions for one to sue oneself for defamation. Only the VICTIM can sue successfully.
The real consequence of all this will be that Eric becomes so disgusted with all the confusion ... his worst fears about the Internet realized ... that he gives it up as an option. I couldn't blame him. Or, that WE become so disgusted with all this that we give up. In that arena, Elizabeth is winning. Everyone else will lose.
So, how does it end? What's a solution? There is no mediator to call in. Eric made his statement & authorized us to make it public. You go through us or you don't market his masks. Simple. Where's the respect for that very clear wish?
The only solution, that works to the benefit of all involved, is for Elizabeth to state that she will no longer war against us and stick to it! Then, we will take down our expose and not mention it again. Eric can continue to get the attention he warrants without the negative distraction. Easy & simple.
We have been accused by her, in the last 24 hours, of being "vindictive," exploiting her children, and assorted other insults ... where will it end? It's Ok, I suppose, to spread libel and personal attacks over the Internet, yet a crime to speak up in your own defense. Elizabeth, you wrote this stuff. We didn't make it up. Own up to it & let it go.
I want to put this behind us once and for all. All it would take is Elizabeth's cooperation. Though she hasn't asked for it, I'd forgive her every word and action should she simply stop today. I'm tired of seeing the effect of this upon my family. I'm tired of reading her hate mail. I'm tired of hearing her name. I'm VERY angry that she has caused so much stress & pain to MY family. I'm VERY upset with her hateful words and threatening posturing. I'm sick of seeing the toll it's taking on so many. I'm sick of it all! Just stop it, Elizabeth. Stop it.
As a mother, I am disgusted with this and the effects upon my children. Take care of your family & let this go, Elizabeth.